It's official. Starting this weekend Tennesseans will be able to purchase wine and liquor in stores on Sunday.
Gov. Bill Haslam signed the measure into law Friday, according to his office.
That means you'll be able to buy wine and liquor in liquor stores perhaps as early as this weekend. It remains to be seen whether liquor stores will open this first weekend to take advantage of the new law.
But under the new law, sales of wine in grocery stores on Sundays must wait until Jan. 1.
The news comes after a somewhat controversial bill made its way through the legislature, including debates on whether there is biblical support for drinking wine.
The bill's passage is to the chagrin of opponents who argued the Bible does not support drinking alcohol and to others who called the measure an affront to the state's Southern culture.
But it's a victory for the bill's leading sponsor, Sen. Bill Ketron, R-Murfreesboro, who also carried the previously passed measure to allow wine in grocery stores.
This is a developing story.
Reach Reporter Jordan Buie can be reached at 615-726-5970 or by email at jbuie@tennessean.com. Follow him on Twitter @jordanbuie.